14 Non-Profit Nursing Homes That Accept Medicaid in Polk County, Iowa
14 of the 30 Medicare-certified nursing homes in Polk County, Iowa (47%) are non-profit Medicaid-certified, and all are listed below. 5 of the 14 graded homes earn an A and 1 earn a D or F. Nurse staff turnover runs 38.4%, 11.7 points lower than the 50.1% across all homes there. Childserve Habilitation Center in Johnston grades highest at A (95 out of 100).
How non-profit Medicaid-certified homes in Polk County, Iowa compare
This group set against every nursing home in Polk County, Iowa, from the current CMS release.
Nursing hours per resident per day
4.71
All homes in Polk County, Iowa: 4.22
Better than the local average
Nurse staff turnover
38.4%
All homes in Polk County, Iowa: 50.1%
Better than the local average
Average ElderGrade score
80.7/100
All homes in Polk County, Iowa: 75.8/100
Better than the local average
Grade spread
A
B
5 grade A, 7 grade B, 1 grade C, 1 grade D,
The best-graded non-profit Medicaid-certified home in Polk County, Iowa is
Childserve Habilitation Center
in Johnston, IA, grade A, 95/100.
Every non-profit Medicaid-certified nursing home in Polk County, Iowa
Childserve Habilitation Center runs on a level of nursing hours that's unusual even among well-staffed homes, 10.30 per resident per day, against a national average of 3.86. Weekend coverage dips below its own weekday pace, but the baseline is high enough that it stays well ahead of most places. State inspectors turned up 11 deficiencies on the current record, none at the harm or jeopardy level, though three involve abuse, which families should ask about directly. Annual turnover of 33.9% is meaningfully lower than the 45.8% national figure, so the people doing the work tend to stay. The last inspection was in May 2025, so the record is recent.
Scottish Rite Park runs on unusually steady staffing for a 51-bed nonprofit home in Des Moines. Nurses provide 5.15 hours per resident day, roughly a third more than the national average, and only 14% of staff left last year, against a national rate near 46%. Weekend coverage dips about 12% from weekday levels, which is worth asking about, but the bigger caution sits in the inspection record: nine deficiencies, three serious enough to involve harm or jeopardy, and six fines totaling $60,726. The most recent state visit was June 2025, so the record is current. Strong care numbers paired with real compliance problems, that mix is what a B reflects.
Edgewater runs on a nonprofit model with 40 certified beds in West Des Moines, and the staffing numbers are the story here: 4.70 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 22% above the national average. Weekend coverage dips about 15% below its own weekday level, so care thins out on Saturdays and Sundays even though the overall floor is high. Annual turnover sits at 44%, essentially matching the national rate. The current record shows 10 deficiencies, none at the harm or jeopardy level and none abuse-related, with the most recent inspection completed June 19, 2025. Quality measures score strongly; health inspections are the softer spot.
Calvin Community in Des Moines runs on a nonprofit model with 59 certified beds, and the staffing numbers are its strongest suit: 4.19 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 8% above the national average, with a 5/5 CMS staffing star. Weekend coverage dips about 11% below its own weekday level, which is worth knowing if your visits fall on Saturdays or Sundays. Turnover sits at 31.3% against a national average of 45.8%, meaning workers tend to stay longer here than at most homes. The tradeoff is a 3/5 inspection star with 12 deficiencies on record, though none involved harm or abuse, and one fine totaling $4,233. The last inspection was in December 2025, so the record is recent.
Mill-Pond runs on 4.58 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 19% above the national average, and that staffing shows up in the five-star rating CMS gives it for workforce. Weekend coverage dips about 9% below its own weekday level, so ask how that plays out on a Sunday. Staff turnover sits at 37.1%, better than the 45.8% national figure. The current record lists 10 deficiencies, none at the harm or jeopardy level, though 3 are abuse-related, worth asking about directly. The last inspection was March 2026, and the health inspection and quality measure ratings both came in at 4 out of 5.
The Iowa Jewish Senior Life Center runs 46 certified beds as a nonprofit, and its last inspection came in April 2026, recent enough to trust the record is current. What that record shows: 13 deficiencies, none at the harm or jeopardy level and none tied to abuse, plus two fines totaling $18,349. Staffing is where the numbers get thin, CMS gives it 1 out of 5 stars, and annual turnover runs 52.9% against a national average of 45.8%, meaning more than half the staff leaves each year. Inspection and quality-measure ratings both sit at 3 out of 5.
Wesley On Grand runs on a solid staffing base: 3.94 nurse hours per resident day, a bit above the national average of 3.86. Weekend coverage dips about 5% from weekday levels, and turnover sits at 44.7%, marginally better than the 45.8% national figure. The inspection record is clean where it matters, four deficiencies total, none causing harm or jeopardy, none abuse-related, with the most recent survey in June 2025. Quality measures land mid-range. It's a nonprofit home with 80 beds whose strongest asset is a spotless harm-level record and dependable weekday staffing; the trade-offs are thinner weekend coverage and a quality-measure score that won't impress anyone.
Valley View Village is a nonprofit home in Des Moines with 79 beds, and its staffing is genuinely its strong point, 4.46 nurse hours per resident day, about 16% above the national average. Weekend coverage dips roughly 9% below weekday levels, which is common but worth knowing if you're visiting on a Saturday. The harder numbers sit elsewhere: staff turnover of 50% runs above the 45.8% national average, and the current record carries 23 deficiencies, including two at the harm or jeopardy level. The last inspection was in May 2025, and one fine totaling $9,110 has been levied. Consistent nursing hours are a real plus, but the inspection history and turnover suggest asking pointed questions about consistency of care.
Trinity Center At Luther Park runs on a nonprofit model with 120 certified beds in Des Moines, and its staffing numbers land close to the national average, 3.83 nurse hours per resident day against 3.86 nationally, though weekends dip roughly 10% below its own weekday coverage. What stands out more is retention: 26.3% turnover versus a national average of 45.8%, meaning workers here tend to stay. The trouble sits in inspections. Thirteen deficiencies are on record, including one at the harm level and two tied to abuse, plus a single fine of $162,205. The most recent inspection was December 23, 2025. Families weighing this home should ask directly about those abuse-related findings and what changed since.
Ramsey Village runs a nonprofit home of 78 beds in Des Moines, and its staffing is the strongest part of the picture: 4.05 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 5% above the national average. The catch is consistency, weekend coverage drops about 11% below weekday levels, and turnover sits at 47.1%, just above the national figure. The inspection record is where families should slow down. Thirty-one deficiencies are on file, including one at the harm level and two tied to abuse, and the last inspection was August 2025. A 2/5 health inspection rating alongside that count tells you the day-to-day care environment has drawn repeated federal scrutiny, even while direct care hours look adequate on paper.
On With Life runs 28 certified beds in Ankeny under nonprofit ownership, and its inspection record is about as light as it gets: one deficiency total, none at the level of actual harm or jeopardy, and nothing abuse-related. The state visited in September 2025, so what you're seeing is current, not a stale five-star rating coasting on an old survey. Quality measures come in at 4 out of 5, meaning outcomes are good but not flawless next to the national pool. The honest caveat is size, with 28 beds, a single bad quarter can move the numbers more than it would at a 120-bed building, so read trends rather than one report.
Parkridge Specialty Care runs 90 certified beds in Pleasant Hill under nonprofit corporate ownership, and its staffing sits at 3.27 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 15% under the national average of 3.86, with weekends dropping about 10% below its own weekday levels. Turnover is 44.9%, essentially in line with the national 45.8%. The inspection record is the harder part: 49 deficiencies, including three at harm or jeopardy level and two tied to abuse, plus one fine of $34,450, and the most recent inspection was October 2025. A 1-star health inspection rating against a 3-star staffing rating tells you where the problems cluster, not necessarily in raw hours, but in how care is delivered and documented when regulators look closely.
On With Life Long Term Care is small, 40 certified beds run by a nonprofit corporation, and its inspection record is genuinely strong: a five-star health inspection rating, seven total deficiencies, and none of them at the harm or jeopardy level or tied to abuse. That's the part families worry about most, and it's clean. The weaker signal sits in the quality measures, where it rates two stars, so the day-to-day clinical outcomes the federal data tracks don't look as good as the survey history. The most recent inspection was December 31, 2025, so the picture is current. A small nonprofit with a spotless harm record is worth a visit; ask specifically about the quality measures before deciding.
Bishop Drumm is run by a church-affiliated nonprofit, and its staffing numbers tell two stories. Nurse hours sit at 3.64 per resident day, about 6% under the national average, and weekends drop roughly 13% below its own weekday coverage. Turnover is the bright spot: 34.9% against a national 45.8%, which suggests people stay. But the inspection record is where this home falls apart, 77 deficiencies, 9 of them at harm or jeopardy level, four fines totaling $258,177, and a place in CMS's Special Focus Facility program, reserved for the country's most troubled homes. A July 2025 inspection is recent, so the picture isn't stale.
Frequently asked questions
How many non-profit Medicaid-certified nursing homes are there in Polk County, Iowa?
There are 14 non-profit Medicaid-certified Medicare-certified nursing homes in Polk County, Iowa, 47% of the 30 nursing homes there.
Are non-profit Medicaid-certified nursing homes better staffed?
In Polk County, Iowa they average 4.71 total nursing hours per resident per day, against 4.22 for all nursing homes in Polk County, Iowa, a difference of +0.49 hours. Staff turnover averages 38.4% against 50.1%.
Which non-profit Medicaid-certified nursing home grades best in Polk County, Iowa?